Mr Alex Yam Ziming: To ask the Minister for Defence (a) since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, how many Singaporeans and permanent residents who are domiciled overseas with approval from the Ministry returned to register or enlist for national service; (b) what are the quarantine and Stay-Home Notice procedures for those returning; (c) how much is the average expenditure incurred; and (d) whether the Ministry will consider waiving or assisting with the expenses incurred for their dedicated Stay-Home Notice accommodation.

Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen:

Between Jan 2020 and Aug 2021, 1,082 pre-enlistees based overseas have returned to Singapore for their National Service (NS) enlistment. They adhere to the same prevailing national travel health control measures as all other returning Singapore Citizens (SCs) and Permanent Residents (PRs). This includes bearing the cost of their quarantine and Stay-Home Notice since 1 Jan 2021, when the Government ceased the waiver of such costs incurred by returning SCs and PRs.

The costs average about $2,200 per person. Returnees who have exceptional grounds such as financial difficulty can submit an appeal to the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) for consideration to waive these costs. ICA has acceded to deserving appeals by overseas-based pre-enlistees, on a case by case basis.